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IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH INTOLERANT?

Truth can be a very touchy subject especially when referring to ones theology or philosophy. It seems any talk of “Right Thinking” and/or “Wrong Thinking” is considered condescending, intolerant, or just plain uneducated. I’m reading a book in which a professor addresses the class about truth. This is what it says:

"Hello, I’m professor Stone, and I want to welcome you to philosophy class. I would like to use our time today to get to know one another. So please think about your views of truth and get ready to share them with the rest of the class. You are free to tell us whatever you believe about God, the universe, good and evil, or anything else that you feel would help us to get to know your personal religious convictions.”

Okay, now what? You were afraid something like this might happen! Listen to your classmates—nobody has said a word about the Bible or Jesus, and it’s almost your turn. Well, Professor Stone said to feel free to share whatever you believe. Hey, get ready, you’re on!

Yes, my name is John Tate, and I’m from Texas. I grew up in a religious home, with loving parents who taught me to believe in the Bible as the Word of God. I believe God created the universe as stated in the book of Genesis and that He also created Adam and Eve. I believe that Adam and Eve disobeyed God and everyone born from that time on inherited a sinful nature. So all of us are born evil and have a natural bent to sin, which is the bad news. It’s bad because, according to the Bible, everyone is destined for hell. However, the good news is that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save us from eternal punishment. Jesus died for our sins and made it possible for us to go to heaven. Jesus made in very clear that he is the only way to God.

Hey, that wasn’t so bad; Professor Stone actually thanked you and went right on to the next student. This won’t be as unpleasant as you thought. There are only a few students left, and maybe you’ll be able to ask Professor Stone if you can share your personal testimony….

Well, that was the last student, and Professor Stone still has some class time left; this could be your chance. Wait, Professor Stone is getting ready to say something herself.

Okay, class, now that we’ve heard what each of you believes, I would like a show of hands in response to my next question. Since what is true for one person may not be true for someone else, how many think that we ought to be tolerant of one another’s religious beliefs? In other words, how many believe that all religious truth is personal and therefore relative?

Oh no! Now what? Every hand din the room is being raised, and you’re the only one who hasn’t agreed. Professor Stone is looking right at you. What will you say?

Mr. Tate.
Yes Professor Stone
Mr. Tate. I don’t see your hand raised. How is it that everyone in this class recognizes the truth of what I have just said except you? I don’t know Professor Stone. The only thing I know is that all of us can’t be right. I believe that we should respect one another, but how can

Well Mr. Tate, welcome to higher education and to my class. Let me take a few minutes to explain why all religious truth is relative. There is an old parable about six blind Hindus touching and elephant that may help you to see my point. One blind man touched the side of the elephant and said it was a wall. Another blind man touched the ear and sid it was a large leaf of a tree. Yet another blind man was holding a leg and thought it was a tree trunk. Still another blind man took hold of the elephant’s trunk and said it was a snake. Someone else was touching the elphant’s tusk and believed it to be a spear. Another blind man had the elephant’s tail in his hand and was calling it a rope. All of the blind men were touching the same reality but understanding it differently. They all had the right to interpret what they were touching in their own personal way. Yet it was the same elephant.

You see, Mr. Tate, since we are all blind to the reality that may exist beyond this physical world, we must interpret that reality in our own way. Just as the parable illustrates, different religions have different interpretations of reality, but the reality is the same. It appears to be one thing for the Buddhist and another for the Muslim. A Christian sees it one way and a Hindu another way. And so on. Reality is one but views of it are many. There are many paths that can lead you to the top of a mountain

Similarly you have just heard your classmates share their personal views about ultimate reality, each right in his or here own eyes. Hence, we must accept each view and be tolerant of one another. Did not Jesus say, Love your neighbor as yourself. Look around Mr. Tate. These are your fellow students. Do you want to love them or do you want to condemn them to hell with your belief in absolute truth. You must learn that there is enough hate in the world and that the only way to live in peace is to love, tolerate and respect religious convictions of others. You must understand that their views are as true for them as your view is for you. They see the truth in what I am saying and that’s why they raised their hands.

I hope that you are now ready to agree with the rest of your fellow students, Mr. Tate because we do not want to be religious bigots, Do we? This school advocates pluralism and tolerance as valuable tools in order to create a liberal environment where students can learn from their different personal preferences. Does that help you see what I am saying with respect to the relative nature of religious truth claims?

Yes professor Stone, I can see the truth in what you have said. Good for you Mr. Tate! Our time is up so class dismissed."(Geisler & Bocchino, Unshakable Foundations,pg35-37)

On the surface this sounds like a convincing argument but lets take a deeper look at what this instructor is actually saying

 

CONTINUE